Maximum Ride: The Audri Experiment
by Adryanna
Summary: In the 3rd MR book,they mention a genius baby.This story takes that idea to the extreme!This is a spunky,brianiac girl's story who's desperate for some answers,and will do anything to get them.Audri will have the time-and nightmare of her life… Ignore A/N
1. Prologue

A well-dressed man walked into the high school. He strode down the empty, shadowed hallways filled with colorful posters. His heels clicked on the hard, cold, reflective tile, its sound echoing down the silent halls. He checked his classy, Rolex watch, and silently entered a classroom. A teacher sat at an oak desk littered with papers, grading essays and such. In the electrifying silence, the shadowy man cleared his throat. Startled, the woman's head snapped up to see what had caused the disturbance. Peering through her thick glasses, the woman stared at the man before her.

"Hello miss", he said,"I was wondering if you could inform me of a certain student."

The teacher looked at the questioner expectantly.

"Are you the one that called earlier..."

"Yes", the man hastily replied.

"Okay then", she began in a brisk, business-like tone,"Here are copies of all of her her papers, report cards, health check-ups, they're all here. Everything."

"Thank you. You have no idea how important this is to me."

"And the two grand?" The teacher held out her hand patiently.

"Here."

The man silently handed her an official-looking check and sauntered out of the classroom. Leafing through the various papers, he repeated in a low, stately murmur, "You have no idea..."


	2. Chapter 1

Okay. So I'm different. Smarter. By 4 grade levels. So what? What's wrong with it? Apparently, a lot of things. Like, Audri, the 14 year old, a senior in high school. Big deal, right? (Okay, so it's _unusual_, but not_ impossible_) I mean, we've all heard of those 12 year olds who go to college at and early age. I'm like that, only I'm 14. Of course, my life is one, royal, brainiac mess. And if my life doesn't change, for better or for worse, I. Will. joke.

My parents, well, they're not help at all. Them and their scientific curiosity; they are obsessed with my thinking levels. Obsessed. It got old way back when I practically started school. Seriously.

At school I have no friends. Only me, I, and myself, Audri. Everyone thinks I'm a freak, which is true.

My teacher are just as bad as my parents. Their obsessive curiosity drive me up the wall. They also don't know how I mange to keep up with classes and, to their (and my) amazement, hold a straight A/A+ status.

You see, I'm no complaining, I'm just telling you about my miserable life as a kid genius.

So, for any of you who have ever wished they were super-smart, you better think again!

(Ppl reading this-bear with me, it gets more exciting in a min.!!)


	3. Chapter 2

Band. Band is that one happy thing among all that bad stuff. I play the clarinet, a nice, quiet instrument for me, a nice, quiet girl. I've played it since age 5, and, because of my super-powered brain, I remembered playing Beethoven at yes, 5 Years Old. So, advanced band is my favorite part of my otherwise bad week. One day, I take my beloved instrument out, and lo and behold, a note lay on the bottom of my case. It was a small note, ivory against the crimson velvet. It said in scrawly, elaborate letters:

_We Will Come For You_

_ 5/20 7:36 PM_

_ How it came into my case, I have no idea._

_ WHO will come for me? Why MAY 20? At 7:36? Why 6? Just to show how creepily accurate they were?_

_ So, as May 20 was a little more than a month away, I would just have to lay low and wait._

_ And so, I waited. _

_ ONE MONTH LATER..._

(ok readers, the excitement starts almost now... HANG TIGHT)


	4. Chapter 3

Great. It turned out that May 20, at 7:36 PM, when They were supposed to come, I would be playing clarinet at a band concert. Now that I've waited some 3-4 weeks when my abduction (?) was to happen (?), I would be playing William Tell 3 seats from the conductor. Just great.

Hmph.

So, that night I wore jeans under my too-big dress pants, and a T-Shirt under blouse, just in case. I stuck a $20 and a pen knife/light in my pockets, just in case. As you can tell, I get pretty paranoid. Just for good measure, I jammed the Note in there as well. And then, I was off. Music in one hand and case in the other, I walked to the car.

As we left the driveway, I asked my parents-My Mom in particular-a question before they could ask any of theirs.

"Mother", I started,"Why am I so smart?" I could I had struck a nerve. Dad's hands gripped the steering wheel so tight I could see the whites of his knuckles. My tongue cut through their carefully constructed truth,"Is there and particular _reason_?" They didn't answer. As the high school rolled into view, I tried again,"Well?" We were up to the drop off line now. Finally, Mom turned around.

"Well honey", she looked at me with bright, clear blue eyes,"You just are. You're gifted." Right. Whatever that meant. "Now off you go." She looked down at me and smiled a thin, tight smile.

Gifted? Yeah right. More like brainiac freak or human fluke. Whatever.

I walked into school, not bothering to stop the doors slam behind me. I could have sworn my parents flinched.

As I assembled my battered clarinet, my watch caught my eye. It was 7:16. Coincidence? I hope so. I pulled out the note. How it could leave me so many questions but no answers frustrated me.

The band director led us through some warm-ups, scales, and finally escorted us to the stage. I could see the clock ticking the second and minutes away.

I started calculating in my mastermind brain. In 3, 7 minute songs (roughly), It should happen and They should come.

One song dragged by. And another. I started to get nervous and jittery. My head ached. My throat was dry. My heart pounded in my esophagus. I was sweating like a pig. It was 7:34

_TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK..._

In the middle of our last song, right as the cymbols crashed, many things happened at once: The minute hand snapped to the 6 in 7:36, a scream pierced through the finale, and these men and women came bursting into the auditorium.

And all Hell broke loose.

(Ok, here's where the MM stuff comes in...)


	5. Chapter 4

Everyone on stage flew into a panic. The flutes stood up and bolted along with the oboes, percussion, and most of the saxophones. The audience was in a turmoil.

Meanwhile, some of the men were...NO... It can't be...They were MORPHING (?) into HUGE WOLVES. And, can you guess who they were after? Yes, that's right. ME.

So, using the chaos as an escape route, I exited the stage and shed my concert attire, and, brandishing my clarinet as a club, I ran. I sprinted upstairs and almost ran into one of the hairy paws of one of Them. Snarling, he (?) lunged at me, and I, not knowing where I got the strength from, swung my instrument at his head. He yelped on impact. Then, getting madder, he (I'm just calling it a he) managed to rake his claws down my vulnerable left arm. Screaming in pain, I tried to ignore the blinding pain. Snarling, I kicked him, and, hearing the _whoosh _of his breath leaving him, I struck down my clubinet and with a dull, hollow crack, the wolf-man was out like a light.

A little dizzy, I stuck my head under the nearest working water-fountain. After a 5 minute drinking-spree, I ran downstairs to face the chaos. I finally wormed my way outside by pushing and shoving everyone in my way aside.

Once out in the dark of night, I pulled out my pen light/knife. Using its feeble light, I cautiously made my way to the parking lot. As I reached the outskirts of the lot, a voice reached my ears.

"We're to take it alive", it growled. A twig snapped and a face came into view.

Time froze. Flashbacks from my super sensitive brain came rushing into my head. Bits of sound, images, incoherent blurs, all flashed before my eyes:

_...3 YEARS OLD...WRITING...GREEK...FOR...WHITECOAT?...GLASS ROOM...A PLASTIC GREEN FROG...THAT FACE, HIM...A K-NINE KAMPER...SIZE SMALL?...A LAB...DISINFECTANT (Shudders)...A METAL MAN WALKING AROUND WITH A...BRAIN...IN A...JAR?...THE SCHOOL..._

It was too much. I rocketed past the...Erasers?...Yes, the Erasers and into the parking lot, and back around the high school. Broken screams and cries escaped the cracked windows and doors. For a fleeting moment, I thought about my parents, until I heard shouts over the din.

"Subject 13 has escaped!" A female voice-my 'mother'

"Erasers have reported no sign of her!"My 'father's' voice crowed. My heart broke. Groaning in frustration and sadness, I thought about pummeling them with my clubinet. But, _am I_ 'Subject 13'? Oh my gosh. The flashbacks. I was. I was a genetically enhanced genius. I wanted to scream.

As I walked back to the cars, I began to hear low, monotonous murmurs:

_...OIL OIL OIL OIL LUBRICATION GAS NEW HINGE RUSTY DOOR KEYS IN DRIVER WHERE..._

_ I_ held my head, wondering where those voices were coming from.

"SHUT UP!!" I yelled. I paused. It became eerily silent. "Who has their keys in?" I cautiously asked, hoping this wasn't one of Their traps.

_...KEYS IN WHERE DRIVER..._

I followed the voice until I found myself in front of an old, beat up sedan, whose keys-as you might have guessed-were in the admission! I tried the door, and found it was locked. Who keeps their keys in their car, but their doors locked? Seriously! Getting impatient, I kicked the door, killing my toe, and yelled,"OPEN!!" Silently, the doors clicked, the door on the driver's opened. On its own. Well, my 'mother' (AKA Evil Scientist) had said I was gifted...

But controlling cars!?

_ Seeing the elongated shadows of nearing Erasers, I shakily climbed into the car's low, leather seat. I thought about turning the key, and starting the car. __THE. KEY. TURNED. BY. ITSELF. _

My gaping fish-face look of shock was reflected in the rearview mirror, along with those terrible terminators.

Cautiously, I asked the car to drive out of the lot at 35 mph, and to take a left. The looks on those werewolves' faces were priceless.

As imagined, it was frightfully easy to get back to the house. Frightfully, because I don't have a clue about how to drive, even with _my _brain.


	6. Chapter 5

I knew I only had minutes to collect some basic supplies, since my "parents" were in league with Them. So, I rushed up to the door, ready to rip it open, when I realized _I had forgotten the key!_ Sounding like one of those wolfish nightmares, I threw back my head and howled in frustration. I paused as I heard bell-like tones speak softly:

…_LOCKED NEED KEY LOCKED LOCKED…_

Okay. This was getting a little weird now. Politely, I told the lock that no, I didn't have a key, and to please open for me.

…_AS WISHED UNLOCKED…_

Hurriedly, I rushed into the house and threw anything a mental runaway who was being chased after Erasers could need into my ratty ole backpack.

I decided against leaving a note to my guardians, as the probably wanted to _kill _me now.

I toted my pack outside and telepathically locked the front door. A genius (after all, I _am _one…) idea came to mind. Mischievously, I asked the lock, "So lock, can you _not _open until I tell you to?"

…_LOCKED MISTRESS SAFE IS HOUSE LOCKED…_

"Awesome!" I grinned. Maybe this wasn't such a bad 'gift' after all.

I ran to the car and directed it to the highway. I decided I'd go to NYC baby, New York, New York, the Big Apple. From there I'd get some answers.

I'd do _anything _to get some answers.


	7. Chapter 6

_…GAS NEED GAS GAS GAS GAS GAS…_

I woke up to a car driving itself, somewhere on a highway, on our way to New York City. My chauffeur, the car itself, had a gas-hungry tank, and me a food-wanting stomach. As imagined, it took me a few minutes to orient myself. I saw a sign for a rest stop with food and gas. Perfect.

"Turn left", I directed.

…_GAS AS YOU SAY GAS…_

"Um, what type of gas do you, uh, eat?" I asked as we pulled into the station.

…_UNLEADED…_

The car's 'voice' in my head answered. I looked at the pump blankly. I'd never seen anything like this before. The tall chrome box towered over me, and four, oily, foreign looking tube/hook things stuck into it. A little screen at the top said: _HELLO, HOW CAN I HELP YOU? _Which certainly didn't help _me._ I waited for it to speak. Nothing happened, so I spoke to It.

"Psst, pump, can you talk to me?" No answer. Doing the only sensible thing left to do, I hooked up the tube labeled _UNLEADED _to the car, and, palms sweaty, I hit a few buttons and hoped for the best. I guess I got lucky (it seemed like I'd been running on luck lately…), and before I knew it, I had a full tank of gas. We (yes, _we_) pulled into the parking lot.

"Don't let anyone in but me", I commanded, remembering the lock at 'home'.

I strolled into the fast food diner. Instinctively, I looked around the room. From the hazy, dim atmosphere, couldn't see anyone who looked wolfish in any way. Phew.

The cashier beckoned towards me.

"Can I help you?" She asked in a bored, high, and slightly nasal voice.

"Yes, I would like to order um, 2 jumbo breakfast sandwiches, 3 plain bagels, 5 tabs of cream cheese, 3 bottles of water, and a coffee."

Pencil thin eyebrows raised, the blonde asked," Hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, that'll be $10.50."

I sat down at a table near the window and sank my teeth into one of the hot, cheesy, greasy sandwiches. It was in my stomach in about, well, I'd say, 3 minutes. I listened to the cash register complain about a faulty lock, doors groan over achy hinges, and scores of other mechanisms who all had something to talk about.

Around me, I saw these rugged men staring at me. Erasers. Staring. At. Me.

Casually, looking each one of the 6 men in the eye, I calmly got up, walked to the door across the room, and _ran. _I didn't have to look behind me to know they had followed. The shocked gasps and screams told me enough.

Ignoring my still-throbbing left arm, I threw up my hands defensively, cracking one of the 4 long, scabby gashes that had developed. Crimson blood dripped down my fingers and mixed with the grey gravel under my feet.

"Who _are _you guys?" I spat. They laughed.

"Now whose business is that?"

"_Mine!_" I snarled. I was really upset now.

Another one said, "_Ooh,_ she has a _temper!_" Then, a seventh wolf-boy stepped out. I knew him. From somewhere. I used my superhuman (?) strength to sprint back to the car. _Back to the highway,_ I thought, _60 mph._

…_OK…_

More long forgotten memories filled my head:

…_AGE 5…WHITECOATS…HIM (again)…SURGERIES WITHOUT ANETHSTETICS…A BLONDE GIRL WITH…WINGS?…A FIELD OF ERASERS…RUNNING…RUNNING…_

I fell asleep with these disturbing thoughts in my head.


	8. Chapter 7

Audi's whitecoat "parents" roared in frustration. They had lost a valuable, successful, multi-million experiment, who had done _something _to their door. They had already tried 3 different locksmiths who had all _failed. _The two had tried every door around the house, but none of them had opened!

"What could she have _done?_" Asked an exasperated Monica.

"We _did _program her to think well", Andy pondered, "but this is beyond me."

"Well?"

The couple whirled around to see the man in the finely tailored suit stroll down the cement walkway towards them.

"Anything go wrong?"

"Anything! More like _everything!_"

Smirking, the man said, "Not _quite _everything."

He drew out a thick manila folder with all of the acquired High School papers. Monica and Andy's eyes seemed ready to pop out of their heads.

"The papers," Monica whispered.

"Yes", the man replied grimly, "Let's get tracking."


	9. Chapter 8

I "drove" the car into a grove of tree just outside the city. After directing Stanley (that's what he [?] wanted me to call him [?]) _not _to let strangers in, I set off to see the lights of New York City.

Finding a rusted, abandoned, and whiny bike, I hopped on and told it to _shut up. _Politely.

About 2 hours into my ride, I ran into (literally) Erasers. These ones were model-like men with smooth voices, and smooth actions. Sweeping my eyes around me, I saw that they had gathered in a 5-pointed star. Each of the points was an Eraser, and I, of course, was smack-dab in the middle. At once, 3 Erasers morphed and lunged at me. In a flash, I was off the bike and wheeled it around, knocking 2 of the 3 Erasers out of the way. Adrenaline rushes must do something to you, because I don't know where the heck I got all this muscle from. Those ugly dog-boys looked mighty surprised as well. I used this to get rid of the rest.

…_MY TIRES MY HANDLEBARS…MY BEAUTIFUL-_

"Oh, shut up, will you?" I interrupted disgustedly. After all, I had gotten quite bruises myself.

…_OHHH…_

It _moaned_. Who knew a _bike _could _moan_!


	10. Chapter 9

By the time I had gotten to Manhattan, It was dark. Well, as dark as the city which never sleeps would _be_. In a "Cozy" looking alley, I parked the bike and curled up atop a plank of wood. Of course, I couldn't fall asleep. Instead, I concentrated on the bright lights, and the never ceasing life of New York City.

And then, this creepy, shivery feeling some over me, and I just _knew_ I was being watched. I swept my eyes around my dim surroundings. I saw these round, bright green eyes staring at me. I stared back. The eyes blinked.

"Hello?" I said.

"Who are you?" The voice purred. Literally. Purred.

"Well," I replied smartly, "That would depend on who _you _are." My mind was racing. My heart, pounding. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. I heard the whir of various machines, all ready to leap to my aid if necessary. If it came to that.

A small, thin girl stepped out of the shadows. Her head was covered with a bulky, knit cap. Her expression was, well, cat-like. Her sharp, defined features gave her a feline expression. Her nails, claws. She was practically a _cat_. Or _was _she?

"A-Are y-you-," I knew I was getting risky," I-I mean, I are you in league w-with um, E-Erasers?" The girl was obviously taken aback. I would have a lot of explaining to do.

"Uh, no," Uh oh. "I'm running _from _them." Phew. I laughed weakly.

"Me too." She frowned.

"But nothing's wrong with you…"

"Well," I started," I'm smarted than a senior in high school at 14, and I think they've enhanced my strength so I'm like, super-strong. Plus, I can, uh, don't call me crazy, but I can talk, command, and understand almost any mechanism." I paused and took a long breath. "Oh yeah, and my name's Audri."

The cat-girl raised her eyebrows. Casually examining her fingernails, she said, "I'm Tati. I escaped from the school after they grafted cat DNA into my genes. Erasers caught me. Again. And I like, just a few months ago escaped from the Institute of Higher Living…" She cocked her head. "Ring a bell?"

"The school does, _definitely,_" I confessed," But not-" I used air quotes," The Institute of Higher Living. But then again I _just_ found out that I was an experiment some 4 days ago and-" My voice rose to a point of hysteria, "And, I'm really tired." I wrapped up lamely.

Tati smiled thinly and beckoned for me to follow.

"Come on, I know a few nooks and crannies where we can sleep."

We. She said we.

We came to a dingy looking door, whose hinges were screaming (literally) for oil as Tati banged the poor thing open. Once inside, the feline-human hybrid threw herself onto (another screaming) armchair barely covered with a dirty flower-print fabric and gestured for me to do the same. She pointed to a similar, if not identical couch. She took off her hat, and 2 furry black ears stuck up from her hair, slightly hidden by her bushy brown curls.

"I see why you need the hat," then, jokingly I added," Good thing you don't have a tail, right?" Seeing her face, I guess I was wrong. Then, seeing my horrified expression, she broke into peals of laughter.

"Of _course _I don't have a tail!" She was gasping for air. In the dimness, I could see tears of laughter roll fall from her luminescent eyes. My face split into a wide grin. I had found a friend!

Soon after, I fell into a fitful, but deep sleep.


	11. Chapter 10

Those next days (and weeks?) were the best. We rode around the city, ate, ate, ate, and ate some more. I think the "scientists" might have enhanced our appetites as well as our other "special powers". We hung out in central park, and got to know each other. It turns out Tati is 12, 2 years younger that me. We became inseparable. It was a happy, Eraser-free life. For a few days at least.


	12. Chapter 11

I woke up to see a furry face sneering down at me. My sleep-fuzzy brain almost immediately began to comprehend the situation. I looked up to find dozens of _Erasers_ holding a struggling Tati, and another 8 or so coming for me.

"_LET ME GO!"_ I screeched.

Another Eraser rudely barked at terror-stricken Tati.

"What- _Cat Girl_? _Cat _got your tongue!?" They threw back their heads and howled (literally) with maniacal laughter.

We scratched and bit and fought, but to make a long fight short, They won. The last thing I remember was unnaturally sticky duct tape, burlap sacks, and Eraserfied laughter.

The nerve of them.


	13. Chapter 12

"We've got her!" Shouted the man.

"Where's she headed?" Monica asked, her tired eyes opening wide.

"Well," Jeb Batchelder straightened his spotless tie." She's got my car, and it seems as if she's headed for NYC."

"I'll get some Erasers on her tail," chuckled Andy.

"Don't worry, they almost got her at a road-stop."

"And when we get her-?"

Jeb laughed. "Let the fun begin."


	14. Chapter 13

I woke up to that ever-so-familiar yet unknown smell of disinfectant. More memories crowded my aching head:

…_SCARY…SCARY…WHITE MAZE…ELECTRIFIED…DISINFECTANT…SEWAGE SYSTEMS …INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LIVING…OTHER MUTANT FREAKS…DNA HELIXES…A, T, G, AND C…B AND…P?…_

I tore myself back to the present. I was strapped to a table. Monitors beeped. They talked too. The light bulbs rapped, and generators rattled on about topics only they would know about. Whitecoats murmured. My "parents" looked down at me.

"_What?_" I spat, "What questions do you want me to answer now?!"

Monica sighed.

"Honey-" She started.

"Don't you _dare _call me that-_mommy!_" I interrupted.

"You're an experiment. You see, we enhanced your DNA so you were superhumanly strong, enhanced your brain cells, and, voila´!" She explained, "Super smart, super strong person. We tested you in the real world, and you succeeded beyond our wildest desire. Plus, you still have more potential than you may think. We purposely kept you in High School, even though you could have easily breezed through college in a snap." She waved her arm for pathetic emphasis," And now I'll turn things over to Jeb Batchelder, the man in charge of the next stage in this experiment."

Jeb walked over and glared down at me. I stared back. His first words surprised me.

"I expect my sedan back."

I didn't let my shock show.

"So that was _your _car," I said snidely, "I was wondering who would be _stupid _enough to leave the keys in the ignition. It's a shame my life is in such shaky, forgetful hands."

Jeb's nostrils flared and two red patches appeared, one on each cheek. Ignoring my ingenious comment, he continued," You have passed this part of the test."

"No freaking duh," I said. I was rewarded the death glare.

"As we have replacements," at this he pointed to a row of jars containing _embryos_.

"We will," he continued," we will graft avian genes and DNA into your already enhanced, human DNA. The last time we tried this, subject 15 died. We will slowly and delicately 'pull' and grow wings out of your shoulders."

I was stunned. How could they _do _something like that?!

Geez, I knew evil scientists could have screwed up, twisted, genius minds, but this was low. Low, and completely, utterly messed up, stupid, and _Sci-Fi._

Minus the _Fi_ part of course.


	15. Chapter 14

"Are you sure we should do this?" Monica asked in a strained, painfully rough voice. "Are you sure this is-"

"The right decision?" Jeb finished. "Monica, I _warned _you not to get attached to any of the experiments. For crying out loud, this is what you _chose _to do with your life. Plus, this is what ITEX_ wants_ you to do." He finished saying through gritted teeth," And it is what we _will _do."

Monica's shoulders sagged. "Ok," She agreed, "Fair is fair,"She sighed and began preparing for the biggest surprise Audri would face yet.

Jeb continued morosely," I've learned from my mistakes, those 6 flock failures." His eyes flashed in sadness. "But now, now I will redeem myself."

He straightened his shoulder and prepared for the operations to follow.


	16. Chapter 15

Ugh. I feel terrible. I feel like, well, like crazy evil genius scientists were just experimenting on me and completely screwing up my back. Which they were.

Lying here strapped to the cold, metal table that reeks of disinfectant, I notice a few things:

-I feel I don't know…Longer?

-My whole self feels…Lighter?

-And it feels as is my back is, well, growing wings. If it feels like anything.

A whitecoat comes over and says something about falcon DNA, and I realize a few more things:

-My vision is…I'd say 4 times sharper and stronger than before.

-So is my _hearing_

Monitors talked in the background:

_SAD…GIRL…HEART…BEAT…FAST…FAST…FAST…WINGS?…GIRL?…ANOTHER?…_

As if I wasn't cold already, now I was chilled down to my completely messed up bones.

"There are more?" I repeated in a low, rough whisper.

As more mad "scientists" joined Jeb, I felt a needle, and then nothing. Bleak, black, nothingness.


	17. Chapter 16

Well, so much for bleak, black, nothingness. Now I'm fully awake, and fully in pain. My back was killing me. White-hot bursts of pain spasms tormented me, making it impossible for me to think clearly. I felt like I had 6 limbs, and not 4. As far as I knew, maybe I did. I couldn't really tell. I could feel things attached to my back, and, I started to get suspicious. How long have I been out: Weeks? _Months? YEARS__?_Finally, the pain lifted. I tried to move the Things on my back. Behind me, I heard gasps. Stupid whitecoats.

I guess I made a good impression. I was unstrapped from wherever I was strapped _to _and thrown onto my feet. Jeb (I'm pretty sure it was him) pushed me down a long, white, corridor lit by talkative florescent lights.

…_GIRL…WINGS…FEATHERS…BEAUTIFUL…DIFFERENT…_

Well, at least my brain felt the same. I started doing mental math problems in my head, testing my mind's limits.

I was dressed in the same grubby too-short jeans I came in, and, after a brief expection, I found I was wearing different tops: Layered shirts and a too-big hoodie which all had huge slits cut into them. My "wings' were tied to by back by a rope that circled all the way around my abdomen. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

I asked,"How long have I been out?" Jeb looked at me in annoyance.

"The truth," He said rather stiffly," 3 months. We're about to see the results. And yes," he said warily," You _do _have wings."

We walked along in an uncomfortable silence. After what seemed like forever, Jeb abruptly pushed my into a room covered wall to wall with _mirrors_. Seriously. My captor untied the rope. It dropped to the floor with a _thud_. He stepped back expectantly.

Just as curious as Jeb, I started to wiggle everything. Just to make sure. After I was satisfied, I tried my back muscles. Huge, feathery things snapped open, and I couldn't help but gasp. God, this adventure was just full of surprises.


	18. Chapter 17

My wings were most certainly wings. They were _huge_, with a guesstimated wingspan of 14 feet, probably able to carry my light, 5 Ft. 7 frame. They were feathered, with soft feathers, tawny brown in color, and speckled with splotches of a creamy ivory. I'd never seen anything like it.

I tried flapping them. The mutant bird-girl in the mirror flapped back at me. The rhythmic movement chanted _Bird Girl Bird Girl Bird Girl…_ The girl trapped in the mirror gawped. I guess I did too. I looked over at the only piece of furniture in the room. A desk. After several minutes of adjusting to my new limbs, I scrambled atop the oak desk. Feeling ridiculous, I looked at Jeb. He merely raised his bushy eyebrows.

"We've had you x-rayed," He started," It appears your bones have slightly hollowed. Your body has lengthened and thinned, plus, air sacs have developed within you. So you _may _be able to fly. We don't know yet. Go ahead," He motioned me for me to give it a fly (ha, ha, ha, mutant avian-hybrid humor). Once more feeling like a complete idiot, I leapt off the 4 Foot high desk. I snapped my wings open. I felt my wings catch catch the air with a _whoosh_, and I was…on the ground. Jeb forced me to try again. And again. _And _again. On the 26th try, I felt the familiar _whoosh _of air, and then, I was up! I was _flying!_ I couldn't believe it! An idiotic grin filled my face, stretching from ear to ear. I wheeled around the room until Jeb shouted at me to get down. I just stuck out my tongue, which was the wrong thing to do. I burst of electric shock coursed trough my body. Believe me, it _hurt_. I landed clumsily just to be dragged out of the room.

Roughly, Jeb shoved me down yet _another _hall in this rat's nest, and after many dizzying twists and turns, I was thrown unceremoniously into one of many cages. On impact, I saw stars. Considering I was underground, this probably wasn't a good thing!

Next to me, a small form lay huddled in its confinement, a K-Nine Kamper, size small. Its black ears gave away Tati's presence.

"Psst, Tati?" I whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Au-Au-Audri?"

"Yep. That's me."

"You've been gone for-"

"Three months or so. I know. Listen, Tati, they uh, gave me _wings_."

The poor cat-girl stared at me with both horror and jealousy.

"Why, why, that's worse than me." She laughed weakly.

"Yeah, I said," Between wings, messed up brain power, and being able to hear things I shouldn't be able to hear!"

Tati's face grew serious. She fidgeted in her cage. Her thin frame quaked with sudden tension. I could sense something was up.

"Tati," I asked, "Tati, what's up? You seem, well, nervous…"

"There," she whispered and pointed at a nearing whitecoat, "They've been…experimenting on me. And, I guess they're back, _again_." She said bitterly.

"Don't worry, sometime soon we'll get outta here." I reassured.'Inside, I wasn't so sure. I hurt like heck all over. Especially my back. But, I willed myself to hang in there, even though I didn't know how long I would be hanging in _for_. I told myself and Tati to be strong, even as we watched each other be tortured by those cruel, hated whitecoats.

After a particularly strenuous day of lab rat torture, my memory gave way to blinding brain waves:

…_RUNNING…RUNNING…ESCAPE…RUNNING AWAY FROM…DANGER…ADULTS…NON-WHITECOATS…TUNNELS…SEWAGE SYSTEMS?…A ROOM…THICK CARPET…A METAL DOOR…_

Oh. I got it now. Escape sounded more appetizing then ever. And now I knew _how _to get there.

But _when?_


	19. Chapter 18

And so, life went on as a lab rat; every day wishing you could just curl up and die. Every day, getting 3 chances to fly, and 13 to get hurt somehow. I could feel myself staring to crack, and I could see it in Tati too. Each night (?), I'd check in with some of the chattering machines and gizmos only evil scientists could have. I heard heart monitors to even body freezers. Ugh.

Days after my first flying success, I could sense a change in Tati. As they threw her into her crate (literally), she turned towards me. I couldn't help but gasp. She looked like a _zombie. _Almost. Her eyes- Instead of the usual vibrant green, they were dull, unseeing, and glazed over with a grey pallor, like the rest of pasty face. Her ears, normally a glossy black, were missing patches of fur and literally drooped. Her normally bouncy, uncontrollable curls hung in frizzy, loose, half-ringlets. Her whole body sagged. My poor, poor Tati. Why did she have to go through this? Why did any one of us? _Tati!_ I felt like screaming. Instead, my wannabe wail came out as a broken whisper.

"Tati?" No answer.

Just a silent stare.

"Tati," I said firmly," Tell me what happened."

Still nothing. Only a hollow, see-right-through-me stare that chilled me down to my DNA hollowed bones. They had done something to my sweet, strong Tati.

"You," The dull, toneless version of _Tati's voice_ said. It was sharper than usual, duller that usual, _different _than usual.

"You, mutant," She continued," You should _not exist. _You should_ die._ By my hands."

My heart broke for the third time.

Tati, my darling Tati, had become one of _Them. _By force or volunteering, I don't know. But I would get her back. I _had to._


	20. Chapter 19

A part of the whitecoats' idea of fun was beginning to put me and Tati in the same room of mirrors I first flew. It's as if they programmed her to hate. Sort of like a catified Eraser. At first, I ignored her. I told the not-so-hidden cameras that hey, it was just another chance to fly! It got old fast. For the 'scientists' that is. They though it would be more fun to send electrical shocks through my bird-body instead. If I flew too high that is. Believe me, it hurt.

"Die mutant," The killer-cat said. It pained me to hear such things come from my 'adoptive sister' (we decided that's what we were…both mutants, both fugitives… in the eyes of the School…). She slapped me. Hard. Hot, crimson blood dripped down my cheek to mix with (to my embarrassment) salty tears, and fell to the clean, white floor. The long, winged, gangly girl in the many mirrors slapped her back.

"You don't understand, do you, Tati?" I cried.

"No," She replied," Nor do I need to. The high and wonderful Institute tells me all I ever need to know. I only serve my institute now. They are the most wonder-"

"_STOP!" _I shrieked. "_DON'T YOU REMEMBER?! YOU MUST!!" _

"Don't you remember that first night we found each other? You took me in. We slept while watching the other's back. You didn't _care_ who I was. You _took me in. _We were like _sisters. _And still should be. You _cared._ Tati," At her name, she stared at me more intensely.

"Tati," I continued," Remember! _REMEMBER!" _I ran over and violently shook her shoulders. I looked past the zombie effect and into her gorgeous lime eyes. I almost burst into tears for a second time. My efforts were wasted.

"Get off of me, you idiot," Tai intoned.

I wanted to scream. So I did.

Suddenly, I didn't care about any stupid electrical shocks. I spread open my wings and took off.

Violent spasms of electricity pushed their way into every cell of my demented body. Still, I sped upward, screaming, crying, and flying. Finally, I plummeted to the ground. I fell as a fallen bird. Well, more like a pathetic, trying-to-do-the-impossible, scrawny, avian-human hybrid who will stop at nothing to get her friend/sister back.

It's very frustrating.


	21. Chapter 20

The next person to enter the room was Jeb. God, I hated his guts. I picked myself off the floor and hurled myself at him. I tackled him with all the superhuman strength I had and pushed the all-too-evil scientist against one of the mirrored walls.

"_WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER," _I snarled. My voice was getting dangerously low.

"How could you _do _this to her? She's a _kid!_ We're all we had. _EACH OTHER!"_

Unable to control my rage, I banged his head against the wall to the beat of my words.

"_WHAT-DID-YOU-DO-TO-HER?!"_

The mirrors shattered, revealing a _whole team_ of _whitecoats_ _taking notes_. Oooh, these people were making me _mad_. Which was never a smart idea. Mad was an understatement. I was more along the lines of too-mad-to-express-in-words-other-than-curse-words-I-won't-repeat mad.

A few 'doctors' rushed in to doctor up Jeb. He was bleeding from 6 bloody gashes, but what did I care? Unfortunately, he was still alive.

Shoot.


	22. Chapter 21

Tati became my new project, so to speak. Every day, hour, minute I'm stuck with her, I told us about all the good times we've had. About how we cooed over pigeons, laughed, heck, even cried together.

I gripped the bars of my cage and stared at my Tati. She stared right back. I swear, I she had laser eyes, I'd be toast by now. Double toast.

"Tati," I started for the 6th time, "I'd like to tell you about the time-"

"Shut up and die, mutant!" She hissed. Her eyes narrowed into little, cat-like slits.

"Well," I continued casually, "We were walking down Broadway. You were eating mint-chocolate chip ice cream, the same color as you beautiful eyes." I stopped as a whitecoat entered the room. As always, a second one followed. Predictably, they stopped at my cage. They roughly dragged me out and bound my wings to my abdomen. The same old. A taser at my back. No biggie. A rough blindfold thrown over my face? No way! I scratched a fought and bit until I felt the shock of electricity momentarily paralyze me. Blindly (no joke here), I plodded along as They pushed and prodded me forward.

We stopped abruptly. I heard the jangle of keys, and the opening (and talking) of a heavy door.

…_AUDRI…BAD…BAD…WOLF MEN…DON'T …GO…IN…BAD…_

I was shoved inside the room. I heard the slam, and the lock click. Mentally, I told it not to, just in case. The sound of growls and heavy breathing filled the room. Finding my hand free (a definite flaw in the design), I ripped the blindfold off my face, and rope from wings. I swept my eyes around the room. It was fairly large, with a high, lofty roof. The whole thing was metal, from floor to ceiling.

And filled with Erasers.

Crap.


	23. Chapter 22

Jeb Batchelder sat in his above ground office. He worked on signing primarily fake checks, birth certificates for experiments. 4 Erasers stood in a corner for security. Jeb looked at the stack of papers on subject 13, the genius avian-human hybrid. Audri, they called her. He was fascinated. Straight A+'s and an A in quantum mechanics. A GPA of 6.75, instead of a more normal 4. She had her own category in honors ceremonies. She also had an incredible IQ of approximately 200. She was a complete success when he compared her to some less unfortunate versions.

A timid knock on the solid oak door broke Jeb's train of thought.

"Come in," He said warily. The teacher who had given him the papers stepped over the threshold.

Jeb stood up.

"Now what right do you have to be in here?!" The Erasers growled, on the brink of transformation. They knew there would be trouble.

"Well," Florence Avingole started, "What right do you have to give me a _bogus check? _I gave you all the answers _you_ wanted; now it's time for me to get _mine_. And the files, why should I have given them to you? Why? How?"

Jeb, still in shock at this latest arrival, asked, "How'd you get in here, anyways?"

"I followed you, of course!"

"THIS IS _RIDICULOUS!" _The man shouted, "OUTRAGOUS! Audri, you genius student, is an EXPERIMENT! With her genetically enhanced brain, ridiculously high GPA AND IQ, a mean fighting skill, and now WINGS, AUDRI IS _DANGEROUS_! THIS IS DNAGEROUS WORK! _ABOVE TOP SECRET_! OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT! AND _YOU-"_ Jeb madly pointed a finger at Florence, "You have NO RIGHT to know this!"

Florence's face drained of all color.

"An _experiment?" _She whispered, then, her voice getting louder," What is this, some sort of _sick joke? Human Experimentation? Wings?_ Is this…" Her voice faltered as the Erasers morphed before her very eyes.

"No," She said, "No, this can't be happening."

"Ah," Jeb's voice was cold, controlled, and icy. "Oh, but it _is _happening. Here is your _precious _Audri." He flipped on a monitor.

The staticky screen displayed the metal room Audri had been thrown into. Audri's former math teacher gasped at the wings, the fully morphed Erasers, and the complete abnormality of this whole scene. Florence jumped as 4 hairy Eraser paws grabbed her. Jeb walked over and flicked the surveillance camera off.

"You've been dragged into this much too deeply," Jeb said amiably," Erasers, please take her to the lab and slate her for termination. Immediately."

Florence's already-pale face turned an ashen grey.

"No," She whispered, then screamed, "NO!!"

The dragged her down and endless flight of hard, pasty grey cement stairs.

At ground level, Florence managed to worm, kick, and scratch her way out of the mass of wolf-men. She ran - no, sprinted – until she reached her car. She saw the Erasers closing in on her. She ducked into her car- a large, silver mini van- locked all the doors, and sped for the interstate. She finally pulled over at a rest stop after one and a half hours of intensive-alert driving. The teacher leaned on the steering wheel and though about the inhumanity and insanity of the situation. She knew They didn't care, but she was sure Audri did. She would figure out what was going on.

She'd better. And soon.


	24. Chapter 23

I circled the Erasers, and they circled me. One lunged. I blocked, hit, punched, and _WHAM! _He was out for the count. I did this over and over again, becoming a mindless, lean, mean punching machine who had an if-I-don't-do-this-I'll-get-killed attitude. I launched myself into the air and clumsily wheeled around the room, still desperately trying to get this whole flying thing under control. I felt the rush of air over my wings, and I managed to fly in tight, controlled circles. Suddenly, _she _entered the room.

"Hello, _mutant, _" Tati sneered.

"Why, _good morning, _my fellow feline friend," I replied snidely," I'd talk, but I'm _busy."_

I rushed up to meet another Eraser. Just to show off to that feline felony, I decided to use a move _she _had taught me. I performed an almost-flawless roundhouse kick, knocking the Eraser down.

I saw Tati blink rapidly several times. Her ears perked. The glaze over her green eyes began to disappear. She stood straighter, and stared at me, a dazed expression plastered on her tiny face.

"Well, what are you staring at, you little self-righteous brat of a cat?"

"Audri?" She called me by name. She hasn't done that in _days._ "Audri? I don't remember you being so mean…" I stopped and stared at Tati. Could she be coming back? Or was this another dirty trick the whitecoats were playing on me? I walked over and looked into Tati's now-clear eyes.

"Tati. Tell me the last thing that you remember."

"Why?"

"They controlled you. They changed you. Into a lean, mean, hating machine."

I explained all that had happened to me little Tati.

"I'm so sorry Audri," Tati whispered, choking back a sob.

" 'S okay sweetie. I've got you back now, and that's all that matters."

And it was. For the moment.


	25. Chapter 24

Now I had a new reason to live through this scientific nightmare. Tati. I would get her out. I _would_. Somehow. We're reaching our breaking points. Fast. That way out better come soon.


	26. Chapter 25

Florence sighed. She sat in a seedy room in a seedy hotel between New York and New Jersey. Still undecided. Obviously, she had clashed with something she wasn't supposed to know about. The man had said it was "Above top secret". Mad wolf-men? Girls with IQs of 200 and _wings?_ Evil or mad (or both) scientists? All up against a curious high school math teacher? No, not a chance.

"Not a chance," She whispered to herself.

"Yes," a smooth, too-perfect voice agreed," Not a chance."

Florence looked up. And screamed.


	27. Chapter 26

My nerves were strung super-tight. In other words, I was tense. Very tense. My wings quivered, and my heart beat a staccato rhythm too fast for my brain to monitor. I had a plan, and I was hoping with all my mutant heart nothing would foil it. It would work, it had to. I had planned it too carefully, to deceptively, for anything to go wrong. Oh, it would work all right.

The lights dimmed, letting me know it was night in the city above.

…_BULB…NIGHT…PEOPLE…WINGS…SIX…_

Max's POV

We snuck into the Institute, just as the voice had told us to.

_There is another one of you who belongs with the Flock. Max, you are doing the right thing._

"Well you better be right," I said irritably, knowing it was.

I took a deep breath, and we delicately began to break into the Institute.

Audri's POV 

Other winged mutants like me? I was shocked. I looked at Tati and signaled her to be alert and ready.

Suddenly, I heard a door open.

"This is pathetic," Some one said. There were _other people here_. I waited and listened.

"Max, uh, why are we even _here?_"

I guess it was Max who replied.

"The _voice _Fang, Am I just supposed to ignore what it said? It said, and I quote, 'There is another one of you. Another link to the Flock.'"

Before I had time to think, I told all the latches to pop open.

Startled, Max came by my cage.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" I whispered.

Looking taken aback, she replied, "You have to come with us. That's why we came. We're looking for answers, and you."

I just shook my head and smiled sadly.

"Maybe someday, but not today. I just told all the locks and systems to malfunction."

Her eyes bugged out of her head. Even though she looked as if she was dying to ask questions, she persisted, "Come on, something uh, something told me to come get you."

I didn't buy it one bit. I smiled, grabbed Tati's hand, and bolted out of there as fast as the chaos around us would let us.

"Wait!" Max called. For a second, I actually faltered, then waved and rushed out of that madhouse. Whitecoats came streaming in, Jeb among them, his face a livid purple. Though they desperately tried to get things under control, it didn't work. I merely snapped open my wings and pushed everyone away from Tati and I. We took off down the sewer system, neither running nor swimming.

"Wait!" An unfamiliar voice called to us. A small boy raced up to us, making the 200 meter dash we had made in minutes, seconds. He was supernaturally fast.

"You going anywhere special?" He asked. He wasn't even out of breath. Then, I saw it. He looked just like Tati. Exactly like her. Only, except ears, he had black spots that crawled up his neck.

"Cheetah Hybrid?" I asked, morbidly curious.

"Yep," He said. Geez, he even sounded like her. "Names later. Here come Erasers."

We bolted. Erasers cornered us from all possible exits. Not like we'd be going anywhere. The attacked, and, not being able to do anything else, we fought. Blood from both sides dripped into the sewage of NYC. As imagined, it was disgusting.

"YOU WON'T GET US-NEVER!" I snarled as I ripped apart the last Eraser.

I was disgusted with myself. What was I becoming? Some sort of genius killing machine? I didn't want to be different. I didn't want to have unnatural smarts, or wings! I wanted normalness. But I guess that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"Phew," The cheetah-boy said. "By the way, the name's-"

As if choked, he dropped to the cement ground. Dead. A tattoo on his neck. Dead.

"No,"Tati whispered,"It can't be." Big fat tears rolled down her narrow cheeks.

"What?"

"He-He was my _twin_."

Whoa. This brought a whole new dimension into this already many-sided scene.


	28. Chapter 27

I was stunned. Paralyzed. Unable to move. Tati's _twin? _Death by what? Tattoo? The ink on his neck ended up reading 9-13-07. I quickly figured out that this was a date. Probably today's. I sat contemplating this for a while.

Together, Tati and I sat in a corner and tried to wait out the rest of the chaos. Waiting like that makes me antsy and nervous. I sat and wiggled, impatient to get a move on, while Tati just stared hollowly ahead, still staring at her brother's body. Geez, it made me feel so bad. I had always been an only child, although now I knew why. I also knew why when Take Your Child To Work Day came around, I couldn't go with "dad" to the "office".

Finally, I'd had enough waiting. I was so nervous and jumpy, I just about shot out of my pants when Tati spoke.

"What now?" She spoke in short, hiccuppy phrases.

"I guess up," I said, still unsure of what to do.

"Ok," She said.

I decided to avoid asking Tati about her twin, the cheetah-boy.

Survival before soap operas.

We ran/splashed/waded along, until I noticed a flight of stairs. Cautiously, we climbed up through the pothole they led to, and found ourselves above ground. Actually, we were in a subway tunnel. With all the dark shadows, I expected danger at every turn. It was just something the whitecoats had done to me. It was a bad sort of habit I guess you could say. My heart pounding, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Literally. Either, we were moving super-fast, or that was a…subway!

"AAAAGH!" We screamed. I pushed Tati against the slimy walls of the subway tunnel as the subterranean train roared by. After what seemed like forever in my impatient but genius brain, we continued on our way. Finally, we found our way into the bustling Grand Central Station. Starving, we dashed to find the nearest food source. And then, I realized we had no money to buy the _food with._ I felt like Audri: The world's first genius idiot.

"Dang," I said.

"What?"

"We don't have any money."

"Make that double dang."

"Why?"

"Turn around!"

Erasers.

"Ok," I whispered, "Here's the plan: We walk into that Dunkin' Donuts. We go inside and act like we're checking it out. When I say, 'Hmm, decaf look's nice' wait 5 seconds, and bust out of there via Emergency Exit. I'll tell the hot drink machines to turn up their heat to their highest temperatures and on my command, squirt the Bad Guys with their liquids. 100 degree coffee on Erasers should distract them for a while. _Then _we'll get away from them for good. Or at least for a little while. Enough to escape."

My mind was really buzzing now.

"Wow Audri," Tati's eyes were shining, "It's great having a mutant mastermind as my," She made air quotes, "sister."

I affectionately squeezed her around her narrow waist.

"Okay," I said, "_Now."_

Casually, we walked into D&D's. As predicted, They followed. I chatted with the machines: Asking them to reach their hot limit, and, at my command, hit the targeted "men". They agreed, saying in unison:

_AS…WISHED…AUDRI, SPEAKER OF MACHANICS…_

Ah. So now they knew my name.

All Erasers were in.

"Hmm, _decaf looks nice."_

Tati looked at me.

1…2…3…4…_Now!_

Tati broke through the exit. The coffee machines did their duty. The surprised, outraged expressions on the ugly faces of those Erasers was priceless. The chaos I was now so used to reigned the coffee shop. I bolted for the Exit and was stopped by a newly arrived security officer.

"Now where do you think you're going?" He sneered.

"Outta here," I said with my trademark snarl. I rudely punched him in his ruddy face and burst out of the room. The chaos inside was getting out of hand. The fully morphed Erasers were snapping in every which way, trying to find their fugitives. For an instant, I felt bad. I knew the Erasers had a mean streak a mile wide, and wouldn't care if they killed innocent people, but it would still be my fault. I was leaving a bloody trail for the whitecoats (and maybe Max) to follow, but unfortunately, it was the only way.

Back behind various crates and boxes, I found Tati.

"SHH!" She said as I tried to speak.

"What?"

"Someone's following us!"

Oh shoot.

**A/N~I won't be here for 9 weeks to update, so I'm sorry it will take that long to update the story and post the**

**next chapter! I'm so sorry, and hopefully you'll be waiting for the next chapter!!**

**Have and awesome possum summer,**

**~A**


	29. Chapter 28

Okay, I know about the "quick n' speedy escape" plan, but as soon as I heard an ATM machine legit, and physically _calling my name, _I knew something was up. Even the dullest Eraser would have been able to tell. I stiffened.

"Audri?"

"Give me a sec…"

I walked over to the machine, Tati in tow.

…_HELLO…AUDRI…SPECIAL TRANSACTION…AGREED?_

"Uh, sure." God knows we needed it. I looked around to make sure no one was staring at me for, well, talking to a freaking ATM machine.

…_250 DOLLARS?_

"Okay?" I was bargaining with an ATM machine. I couldn't get over it, I mean, it's a _machine!_ Well, a machine offering to give me money…

…_AUDRI NOT SATISFIED? 300?…_

"Whoa, 275 is fine!" I didn't want to give it (or the money source) a hassle.

Before I knew it, $275 dollars spat out of the machine. As I bunched it up in my hand, an extra dollar came fluttering down, and landed onto the empty slate. Tati furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Audri…?"

…_ONE FOR GOOD LUCK…_

I couldn't help but smile. This "machine talker" identity came in handy sometimes.

I looked at our clothes. Ugh. Man, they were a _mess._ And gave off a _revolting_ odor.

I pulled a protesting Tati into the nearest store, my mind set on new clothes. What a bad idea _that _turned out to be.

Plastic models' eyes bore into mine, giving me a case of the creeps. I swear, I thought those things were going to jump down and strangle me with all the "bling" they were wearing! Staff lurked in the dark corners of the room, taking on lumpy, Eraser-like forms. I won't lie. I was ready to snap.

"Audri?" I jumped like, 5 feet into the air.

"Yeah?"

"I need a new hat to, well, cover my head…"

"Well yes Tati, that would be the whole brilliant idea of the hat."

"Is this one okay?"

She held up a knit cap with a small visor that would hide her ears just fine.

"Yeah, Tati, it's perfect." It was a ridiculous 20 dollars.

She grinned. I groaned. I tried to be patient, but it was _hard, _so hard! Everything was happening so fast, and now I needed to _slow down._

I bought myself a sturdy-looking windbreaker to hide my wings better. We both got a different set of clothes (what a relief!). Those eerie models were _really _reminding me of Erasers, and claustrophobia was starting to get the better of me. The hawk-eyed staff, completed with mohawks and nose-rings were also starting to tell me that I had to get out of there, _fast!_

Okay, call me paranoid. I blame the Whitecoats.

Finally, _finally_ we left with a hat, a windbreaker, and a new backpack full of materials 2 mutants on the run would need.

_Bird girl._

"Huh?" My head, and whole being had begun to pound in a painful throb.

Tati stared at me, but I was staring across the busy mall at a young, cute, blonde girl with bulky shoulders. She blinked and seemed to melt into the crowd, but not before I saw _her _again.

Max.

I winced and rubbed my temples. Too many voices. I mentally searched for that one again, but it wasn't a machine.

Max?


	30. Chapter 29

We were out on the streets again.

I enjoyed not being stuck in a cage, and the freedom of it all. I let the cool air wash over my face. It felt _great._

Of course, it wore off after a couple of hours. My spring in my step turned into a dragging shuffle. Next to me, Tati looked _mutinous. _Not even looking at me, she said," Hail. A. Cab. _Now._"

"Just a couple more blocks," I wheedled. I mentally crossed my fingers in hopes that I would _not_ have to endure a temper tantrum.

"_No._" I held my breath, counted to ten, and exhaled.

"Tati," I cajoled.

"_No." _She crossed her arms and pouted. "If you hail a cab, I'll tell you about Henry."

I looked at her in confusion. "My twin."

"Oh…Okay."

"_Thank you."_

I waved my arms until a van-sized cab pulled over. We hopped in. Stupid, stupid, stupid. It was small, tight, confined, everything I _didn't _want. We rode to central park in silence. After some 8 minutes, I got too impatient.

"Sir," I started," This is fine. You can let us out here…Sir?"

"No," The too-perfect voice purred.

Uh oh.

…_BAD MAN GET OUT…AWAY…OUT NOW…BAD _The cab groaned.

I looked at Tati. WE GOTTA GO…NOW! I mouthed.

"How?" Tati whispered.

The cab driver pulled over.

"That's easy," he growled," You're not!"

Canines elongated. Eraser transformation. The slavering jaws snapped at us, breaking through the glass window that separated the front of the cab from the back.

"NOW!" I screamed.

We burst out of the car and ran wildly up the street, knocking over shoppers and tourists and dog-walkers, eager to get away from the living nightmare.

A sudden idea took hold of me. I calculated how long it would take to work. An efficient 45.72 seconds.

"Tati!" I called, "Piggyback! NOW!" I unzipped my windbreaker and stuffed it into my pack and handed it to Tati.

"WATCH OUT!" I yelled over the havoc.

I spread my wings and vaulted off a bench. After a couple desperate flaps, I heard someone scream, "AUDRI!" and felt something drop off my back. _Tati. _I turned around to pick her up.

"Wait!" She cried.

Now, at this point, people were stunned enough. I mean, a killer taxi driver and a girl with wings? That's enough to give an old man a heart attack, but what happened next blew me away. Tati must have sprung 18 feet up into the air. The next thing I knew, my little 'sis was clinging to my back for dear life. I heard cameras clicking, and screams, and gasps, and all sorts of reactions. I didn't let them see my face.

As we flew off, I said to Tati," Girl, you have some serious explaining to do!"

"I know, later!" Tati shouted over the roar of the wind.

For now, I enjoyed the freedom of flight, and my excitement about being free of those stupid whitecoats who had done so much to ruin my life. I was _free._ And I was going to make it stay that way.


	31. Chapter 30

We flew, and flew, and flew. We soared over picturesque rivers, patchwork fields of grain, cities, man, we covered _everything._ One thing I was sure of: We always flew South West. I'm sure I know how exactly I know that; it has something to do with the bird genes in my DNA. I _loved _the exhilarating rush of wind whipping through my hair, ruffling my feathers, and the cool, thin air I filled my lungs with.

Tati's 4' 3" frame tightly clung to me. Although she weighed next to nothing, she was starting to slow me down. Of course, along with being tired, I was hungry. Again. Drat this stomach of mine!

I clumsily touched down on a sandy beach. All was silent save for my panting breath, and the gentle crash of the tide. 5, 10, 20 minutes passed. I heard distant voices arguing.

"There was another one of us!" She was saying. "And she had WINGS! And she TALKED! Remember what the voice said? We HAVE to go back and track her down!"

"Max. What exactly did the voice say?"

"I thought I-"

"No. You didn't tell us."

"I-"

"TELL US, MAX!" The voice roared.

"Okay okay, geez! It told me, ' There is another one of you who belongs with the flock' And Fang, she told me she _talked to the locks._"

Max. It had to be Max. I could see them now from our viewpoint. There were 7 of them, including a dog that vaguely resembled a Scottie. There was Max, who was, like the rest of us, uncharacteristically tall, with an expressive face, broad shoulders, and short, blonde-streaked hair. Facing her was a tall (obviously…), dark, passive guy, probably around age 14. Behind him,_ another _guy stood attentively as if listening to every little detail, and casually holding on to his shirt. I wondered if he was blind. A small, blondy stood behind Max. _It was the girl from the subway._ This was getting very creepy… By the blondy, a dark girl stood off to the side, trying to open her mouth to say something.

There was an inevitable silence.

I whisper to Tati, "Okay, here's the plan." Tati smiled wanly, I guess this was becoming a very familiar term. "We follow them…"

The little girl stiffened and looked in my direction. She tugged and Max's sleeve.

"Max?"

"Yeah Angel?" What kind of a name is _angel?_

"There are people over there."

"Oh really."

Max looked over, her eyes burning with anger.

"Then I guess we better go over and check it out."

Shoot. We've been discovered.


End file.
